Andrew fife



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW FIFE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INKSTAND.

To all whom t may concern I Be it known that I, ANDREW FIFE, of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Inkstands, called a Gold-Pen Protector, of which the following is a full and clear description, reference being had to the drawings and model accompanying and forming part of this specification.

A few preliminary remarks are deemed necessary to explain fully the object and utility o-f this invention.

In describing inkstands I shall designate that part which contains the ink as the reservoir, and the hole, or opening, in the reservoir, into which the pen is passed for a supply of ink, as the mouth of the reservoir.

Most inkstands are formed of hard materials, such as glass, porcelain, brass, &c. Their reservoirs are generally made of glass.

Among writers the habit is almost universal of thrusting the pen, quickly and carelessly, into the mouth of the reservoir, for a supply of ink, and at it to throw out of the pen the superfluous ink it has taken up.

In making these thrusts the point of the pen is often struck against the top of the inkstand, and oftener against the edge, or margin, of the reservoir surrounding its mouth. In this way the greater part of diamond pointed pens and 'a large number of steel and quill pens are destroyed.

The object of the gold pen protector is to interpose a soft elastic substance between the pen and the hard substances composing the inkstand and its reservoir, in such a way as to greatly decrease-if not entirely re move-the danger of breaking the point of the pen in taking a dip of ink.

My invention therefore, consists in forming the to-p, or surface surrounding and part-ially covering the mouth of the reservoir of the inkstand, of gum elastic, or other similar soft elastic substance, or composition.

In order to enable others skilled in making similar articles to make and use my gold pen protector I will describe my mode of making and applying it to inkstands.

I make an inkstand of any suitable size, form and material. I then form the topor surface surrounding and partly covering the mouth of the reservoirof gum elastic, or other similar soft elastic substance, or composition, as represented at c in the anneXed drawings, of suilicient-say one eighth of an inch-thickness; taking especial care to make the hole in the protector smaller than the mouth of the reservoir, in order that the upper edge, or margin of the reservoir may be completely covered by the protector. I secure the protector in its place'with glue, cement, or other material, according to the form and material of the inkstand.

I do not claim as my invention forming inkstands like the accompanying drawing.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Forming the top, or surface surrounding and partially covering the mouth of the reservoir of the inkstand, of gum elastic, or other similar soft elastic substance, or composition, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, the twenty-seventh day of March, eighteen hundred and forty-nine.

ANDREW FIFE.

In presence of MATTHEW S. FIFE, JAMES B. RIGHARDEL. 

